India raises concern over Khalistan activities in Canada

Toronto, March 11 (IANS) The Indian high commission in Ottawa has raised with the government here the issue of rising activities of Sikh separatist Khalistan movement in Canada. Canada is one of the few countries, according to the Indian government, where pro-Khalistani elements are becoming active once again.

“We have taken up this issue specifically and other issues related to the resurgence of certain pro-Khalistan elements. We do believe there is a certain resurgence of this movement here,” Rajiv Sahi of the Indian high commission told the Vancouver Sun Monday.

India is concerned at attempts by some elements to de-list the banned organizations such as the Babbar Khalsa in Canada.

Debinderjit Singh, a prominent radical Sikh leader from Britain, was in Canada last month to promote his so-called “Sikh agenda” among the Indian diaspora in the West.

De-listing of banned organizations was part of his Sikh Agenda. He had urged the Sikhs to let only those politicians speak at their functions who back the Sikh cause.

At the Sikh parades and functions in Vancouver and here last year, radical Sikhs, including Air India bombing plot mastermind Talwinder Singh Parmar, were glorified.

In reply to a Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) request for deletion of black lists of Sikhs abroad, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month said Indian intelligence had credible information about the activities of pro-Khalistan elements in many countries, including Canada.

Refusing to delete all names outright, Manmohan Singh had said that pro-Khalistan elements were still active in many countries.

“Much of this is concentrated in countries abroad, like the UK, Germany, Canada and especially Pakistan, where such groups receive a great deal of encouragement from remnants of extremist groups as well as support from other hostile forces,” he had said in his letter to the SGPC.